What is the history and significance of the church at Antioch?

from the old testament

• The church at Antioch is not mentioned in the Old Testament.

from the new testament

• The church at Antioch was located in Antioch of Syria and was about seven thousand miles travel distance from Jerusalem. It became a haven for Christians fleeing persecution (Acts 11:19), making it an important place on the map of the early Church.
• Acts 11:26 tells us that it is the first city where believers were called Christians, a derogatory term at the time.
• As a large city in the first-century Roman era, Syrian Antioch had a sizable population of well-to-do Jews. It became a strong, early location for the church and is chronicled for us in Acts 11:20–21: "But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord." This report made its way back to the persecuted church at Jerusalem. They sent Barnabas to learn more. A trusted, godly man, Barnabas loved what he was seeing and so went to get Paul (still referred to as Saul at this point) to come back with him. They stayed a year, teaching and ministering (Acts 11:22–26). From the record of the Book of Acts, the Holy Spirit was mightily present and many prophets went there.
• Besides the exciting move of the Holy Spirit, Antioch is important because of the larger Church issues decided upon as a result of the growth of the church at Antioch. The church encompassed both Jew and Gentile, as God had always intended, and that brought out important matters related to the Mosaic law and salvation in Christ.
• Acts 15 tells us how Paul and Barnabas represented the Antioch church to a council at Jerusalem. Some had come to Antioch and taught that the Gentiles needed to be circumcised in order to be saved. Paul and Barnabas vehemently disagreed. Paul, Barnabas, and some others from Antioch went to Jerusalem to talk with the apostles and elders about the issue. After debate on the matter, Peter shared, "Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will" (Acts 15:7–11).
• Paul and Barnabas told more about God's work among the Gentiles (Acts 15:12). Then James, the half-brother of Jesus and a leader of the church at Jerusalem, reminded them how Scripture foretold of Gentile inclusion (Acts 15:13–18). "Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood" (Acts 15:19–20). The apostles and elders wrote a letter that Paul and Barnabas, along with men from Jerusalem, delivered to the church at Antioch (Acts 15:22–35).
• The way this conflict was handled became a major turning point in the Church at large that helped create a pattern for resolving further disputes regarding Jews and Gentiles as the Church figured out how to be a new people of God. The Jews had brought hundreds of years of history, tradition, and ritual with them and had to figure out how to live as Christians. Likewise, the Gentiles, including those who formerly participated in pagan worship, had to learn to live as Christians, too. It was a new era of grace that they were all learning to understand together and work out. The church at Antioch grew so quickly that it forced many issues that could have laid dormant for years otherwise.
• The church at Antioch is known as being the homebase for Paul for his missionary journeys. Acts 13:1–3 describes the church commissioning the first journey. "While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said 'Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.' Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off" (Acts 13:1–2). Paul would continue to return to Antioch and share of the work God had done, and continue to go from there on other missionary journeys (Acts 14:24–28; 15:36–41; 18:18–23).

implications for today

One crucial application we learn from the church at Antioch is the commitment to solving problems biblically within the church community. Antioch demonstrates the importance of addressing disputes and theological issues by seeking counsel, engaging in dialogue, and basing decisions on Scripture and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. When confronted with the question of Gentile salvation, the church didn't act independently but sought wisdom from other believers and leaders in Jerusalem, exemplifying humility and unity. This approach emphasizes the value of biblical reconciliation and unity amidst differences, showing that the church is called to handle conflicts in a manner that honors God's Word and promotes harmony within the body of believers, uniting on what is important and living in God’s grace. Antioch's example urges modern churches to prioritize biblical principles in resolving disputes, fostering unity, and upholding the truth of the gospel.